thedrifter
03-01-07, 07:10 AM
Ammo falls from chopper
ROSELEE PAPANDREA
March 1, 2007 - 12:00AM
A belt of .50-caliber ammunition dropped from a Marine Corps helicopter somewhere near the Hunters Creek area Wednesday afternoon, touching off a several-hour search to find it.
A New River Air Station duty officer with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 contacted Onslow County Emergency Services at about 3 p.m. Wednesday to let officials know that the ammunition fell out of a UH-1N Huey somewhere between the Hunters Creek housing area and Camp Lejeune, said county Emergency Management Director Mark Goodman.
Officials with Emergency Management immediately set up a command post in the parking lot at Hunters Creek Middle School, and school playgrounds were searched.
"We made a concerted effort to check the school's playground and areas to make sure it is safe and they can have school (today)," Goodman said.
The belt, which consists of 100 rounds linked together, has projectiles about the size of a thumb and isn't considered dangerous if left alone, said Capt. Clark Carpenter, spokesman for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
"The ammunition poses no danger as long as it is basically left in place and not mishandled in any way," Carpenter said.
Officials warned that if the belt is found, 911 should be called immediately. Marine explosive ordnance disposal technicians will be called in to deal with the ammunition, Goodman said.
School officials were contacted immediately Wednesday afternoon in order to warn teachers and students in that area, Goodman said.
But considering the timing of the event - about the time when both Hunters Creek Middle and Hunters Creek Elementary schools were releasing students for the day - officials decided it was also important to notify parents.
At the request of Emergency Services, the school system used an automated telephone advisory to notify about 6,000 families in the Hunters Creek and White Oak school districts, Goodman said.
"I think we moved quickly to advise the public given the circumstances we were working in," Goodman said. "Our primary concern was that some child who was being released from school at that time might have picked it up or played with it. We didn't want that to happen."
Emergency management officials didn't initially know exactly where the ammunition was dropped and planned to search neighborhoods in the Hunters Creek area, but the plan changed after talking more with New River Air Station.
"We were able to receive more information," Goodman said. "We now think we know the general area. It might even be in the water or on top of some trees."
Based on the information, Marines from HMM-261 and emergency personnel plan to resume searching this morning in an area near Northeast Creek.
"It looks like the drop area is south of (the Hunters Creek area) and the threat to the schools is minimized," Goodman said.
Information about how the ammunition fell out of the helicopter wasn't available Wednesday evening, but the Marine Corps planned to investigate, Carpenter said.
"Anytime something like this happens, it is closely investigated," Carpenter said. "We want to know - just like everybody else - how it happened and why it happened. ... We certainly take the safety of the community very seriously. We want to find out what happened so we can prevent things like this from happening again."
ROSELEE PAPANDREA
March 1, 2007 - 12:00AM
A belt of .50-caliber ammunition dropped from a Marine Corps helicopter somewhere near the Hunters Creek area Wednesday afternoon, touching off a several-hour search to find it.
A New River Air Station duty officer with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 contacted Onslow County Emergency Services at about 3 p.m. Wednesday to let officials know that the ammunition fell out of a UH-1N Huey somewhere between the Hunters Creek housing area and Camp Lejeune, said county Emergency Management Director Mark Goodman.
Officials with Emergency Management immediately set up a command post in the parking lot at Hunters Creek Middle School, and school playgrounds were searched.
"We made a concerted effort to check the school's playground and areas to make sure it is safe and they can have school (today)," Goodman said.
The belt, which consists of 100 rounds linked together, has projectiles about the size of a thumb and isn't considered dangerous if left alone, said Capt. Clark Carpenter, spokesman for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
"The ammunition poses no danger as long as it is basically left in place and not mishandled in any way," Carpenter said.
Officials warned that if the belt is found, 911 should be called immediately. Marine explosive ordnance disposal technicians will be called in to deal with the ammunition, Goodman said.
School officials were contacted immediately Wednesday afternoon in order to warn teachers and students in that area, Goodman said.
But considering the timing of the event - about the time when both Hunters Creek Middle and Hunters Creek Elementary schools were releasing students for the day - officials decided it was also important to notify parents.
At the request of Emergency Services, the school system used an automated telephone advisory to notify about 6,000 families in the Hunters Creek and White Oak school districts, Goodman said.
"I think we moved quickly to advise the public given the circumstances we were working in," Goodman said. "Our primary concern was that some child who was being released from school at that time might have picked it up or played with it. We didn't want that to happen."
Emergency management officials didn't initially know exactly where the ammunition was dropped and planned to search neighborhoods in the Hunters Creek area, but the plan changed after talking more with New River Air Station.
"We were able to receive more information," Goodman said. "We now think we know the general area. It might even be in the water or on top of some trees."
Based on the information, Marines from HMM-261 and emergency personnel plan to resume searching this morning in an area near Northeast Creek.
"It looks like the drop area is south of (the Hunters Creek area) and the threat to the schools is minimized," Goodman said.
Information about how the ammunition fell out of the helicopter wasn't available Wednesday evening, but the Marine Corps planned to investigate, Carpenter said.
"Anytime something like this happens, it is closely investigated," Carpenter said. "We want to know - just like everybody else - how it happened and why it happened. ... We certainly take the safety of the community very seriously. We want to find out what happened so we can prevent things like this from happening again."